The Three Kingdoms Volume 2 (33 page)

However, when he looked back, Cao Ren saw that several score of his men were still trapped in the middle, unable to make their way out. He turned and dashed again into the enemy formation to their rescue. This time he met Jiang Qin, who blocked his way, but together with Niu Jin he managed to break through. Then his brother Cao Chun also came up with support and the battle ended in a defeat for the men of Wu.

So Cao Ren went back victorious, while the unhappy Jiang Qin returned to report his failure. Zhou Yu was very angry and would have put to death his hapless subordinate but for the intervention of the other officers.

Then he prepared for another attack, which he would lead. But Gan Ning said, “General, do not be in too much of a hurry. Let me go first and take Yiling so as to destroy their triangular defense, then you can capture Nanjun.”

Zhou Yu accepted the plan and Gan Ning, with 3,000 men, went to attack Yiling.

When news of the approaching army reached him, Cao Ren called the advisor Chen Jiao to his side for counsel.

“If Yiling is lost then Nanjun will be lost, too,” said Chen Jiao. “Help must be sent quickly.”

Therefore Cao Chun and Niu Jin were sent by secret ways to the aid of Cao Hong. Before they went, Cao Chun dispatched a messenger to Cao Hong, telling him to meet his enemy and induce them into the city.

So when Gan Ning drew near, Cao Hong went out to engage him. After a score of rounds Cao Hong fled in defeat and Gan Ning took the city. However, as evening fell Cao Hong came back with reinforcements and Gan Ning was besieged inside the city he had just captured. Scouts went off immediately to tell Zhou Yu of this sudden change of circumstances, which greatly alarmed him.

“Let’s divide our force and hasten to his rescue,” said Cheng Pu.

“This place is of the utmost importance,” said Zhou Yu. “What if Cao Ren should attack when we are away?”

“But he is one of our best officers and must be rescued,” said Lu Meng.

“I’d like to go myself to his aid, but who can I leave here in my place?” said Zhou Yu.

“You can leave Ling Tong here,” suggested Lu Meng. “I will push on ahead first and you, General, can bring up the rear. In less than ten days we will have won the battle.”

“Are you willing to act for me?” said Zhou Yu to Ling Tong.

“For ten days, yes,” said Ling Tong. “But not more than that.”

Ling Tong’s consent pleased Zhou Yu, who started at once, leaving an army of 10,000 men for the defense of the camp. Lu Meng said to his chief, “South of Yiling is a bypath from where it is easy to make an attack on Nanjun. Let’s send five hundred men to fell trees and barricade this path so that horses cannot pass. In case of defeat the enemy will surely take this way and will be compelled to abandon their horses, which we will capture.”

Zhou Yu approved and the men were sent to barricade the path. When the main army drew near Yiling, Zhou Yu asked for volunteers to break through the besiegers and rescue Gan Ning. Zhou Tai offered himself. He girded on his sword, mounted his steed, and burst into the enemy force. Very soon he had reached the wall of the city.

Seeing the approach of his friend, Gan Ning went out to welcome him inside. When Zhou Tai told him that the commander had come to his relief, Gan Ning at once ordered his men to have a good meal and be prepared to support the attack of the rescuers.

When the news of the approach of Zhou Yu had reached the besiegers they dispatched scouts to report it to Cao Ren in Nanjun, while at the same time they prepared to repel the assailants. So when Zhou Yu’s army came up he encountered opposition. However, he was soon reinforced by Gan Ning and Zhou Tai, who rushed out of the city and attacked their enemy on two sides, throwing Cao Hong’s men into sheer confusion. The men of Wu advanced triumphantly and the defeated troops fled by the path south of the city as Lu Meng had predicted; but finding the way barred with felled trees and other obstacles, they had to abandon their horses and go on foot. In this way the men of Wu gained some five hundred steeds.

Zhou Yu, pressing on as quickly as possible toward Nanjun, came upon Cao Ren, who had come to aid his comrades in Yiling. The two armies engaged and fought a battle which lasted till late in the evening, when darkness compelled both armies to withdraw. Cao Ren returned to Nanjun.

During the night he called his officers to a council. Cao Hong said, “We’re in an extremely dangerous situation now that we have lost Yiling. Why don’t we open the letter our lord has left us and see what plan he has arranged for us to pull through this peril.”

“You’re quite right,” replied Cao Ren. Then he opened the letter and read it. His face lighted up with joy and he at once issued orders to have breakfast prepared at the fifth watch. At daylight the army moved out of the city, leaving only a semblance of occupation in the shape of banners arranged along the walls.

Zhou Yu, after lifting the siege in Yiling, spread out his army outside Nanjun. When he saw the enemy troops coming out of the three gates of the city, he went up to high ground to observe. He found that the flags along the battlements had no men behind them and he noticed that every man coming out of the city carried a bundle at his waist.

Zhou Yu thought to himself, “Cao Ren must be preparing for retreat.”

So he went down from his observation stand and sent out an order for two wings of the army to be ready. They were to attack and, in case of success, were to pursue at full speed till the clanging of the gongs should call them to return. Then he took command of the leading force in person and Cheng Pu commanded the rear to support him. Thus they advanced to attack the city of Nanjun.

The armies being arrayed facing each other, the drums rolled out across the plain. Cao Hong rode forth and challenged, and Zhou Yu, from his place by the standard, ordered Han Dang to respond. The two fought for about thirty bouts, when Cao Hong fled. Then Cao Ren came out to give battle and Zhou Tai rode out at full speed to meet him. These two exchanged a dozen passes and then Cao Ren also fled. His army fell into confusion. At this Zhou Yu gave the signal for the advance of both his wings and their opponents were sorely smitten. Zhou Yu pursued them right to the city wall, but none of Cao Ren’s men entered the city. Instead, they went away toward the northwest. Han Dang and Zhou Tai led the front force to press them hard.

Zhou Yu, seeing the city gates standing wide open and no guards on the wall tower, ordered a raid on the city. A few score horsemen rode in first, followed by Zhou Yu himself, who whipped his steed and galloped into the city. From his watch tower Chen Jiao saw him enter and in his heart he applauded the god-like perspicacity of his master Cao Cao.

The clap-clap of a watchman’s rattle was then heard. At this signal the hidden archers and crossbowmen let fly their arrows and bolts, which flew forth in a sudden fierce shower, while those who were at the front of the rushing formation went headlong into a deep trench. Zhou Yu managed to pull up in time, but turning to escape, he was wounded by an arrow in the left side and fell to the ground. Niu Jin rushed out from the city to capture him, but Xu Sheng and Ding Feng, at the risk of their own lives, got him away safe.

Then the men of Cao Cao dashed out of the city and wrought confusion among the men of Wu, who trampled upon each other in their eagerness to escape, and many more fell into the trenches. Cheng Pu hastened to pull back, but Cao Ren and Cao Hong came toward him from two different directions. The battle went harshly against the men from the east, till help came from Ling Tong, who drove back their assailants. Satisfied with their success Cao Ren led his men into the city, while the defeated marched back to their own camps.

Zhou Yu, sorely wounded, was taken to his tent and the army physician called in. With iron forceps he extracted the sharp head of the arrow and dressed the wound with a lotion designed to counteract the poison of the metal. But the pain was intense and Zhou Yu could not even eat or drink. The physician said the arrow head had been poisoned and the wound would require a long time to heal. The patient must be kept quiet and guard against any irritation, which would cause the wound to reopen.

So Cheng Pu gave orders that each division was to remain strictly in camp. Three days later Niu Jin came to challenge the men of Wu to battle, but they did not stir. The enemy hurled taunts and insults till the sun had fallen low in the sky, but it was of no avail and Niu Jin withdrew.

The next day Niu Jin returned and repeated his insulting abuse. Cheng Pu dared not tell the wounded commander lest he should be angry. On the third day, becoming more reckless, Niu Jin came to the very gates of their camps, shouting that he had come especially to capture Zhou Yu.

Then Cheng Pu called together his officers and they discussed the feasibility of withdrawal into Wu to seek the opinion of their lord Sun Quan. Ill as he was, Zhou Yu was clear in mind. He knew that the enemy often came to revile him in front of his camp, although none of his officers told him. One day Cao Ren came in person to challenge and there was much rolling of drums and shouting. Cheng Pu, however, remained firm and would not let anyone go out. Then Zhou Yu summoned the officers to his bedside and asked, “What is this noise of drums and shouting?”

“The men are drilling.” They told him.

“Why do you deceive me?” said Zhou Yu angrily. “Do you think I don’t know that our enemies often come to our gates and insult us? Why doesn’t Cheng Pu do anything?”

He sent for Cheng Pu and, when he arrived, asked him the reason for his inaction.

“I see you are ill and the physician has said you are on no account to be provoked to anger, so I dare not tell you about the enemy’s challenge.”

“And if you don’t fight, what do you intend to do?” asked Zhou Yu.

“All of us think we should return to the east first and wait until you have recovered from your wound,” said Cheng Pu. “Then we can make another expedition.”

After Zhou Yu heard this he sprang up from bed, crying, “He who has lived off his lord’s bounty should die in his lord’s battles! To return home with his corpse wrapped in a horse’s hide is a happy fate for a soldier! How can you give up the grand design of our country just for my sake?”

So speaking, he proceeded to put on his armor and mount his horse. All the other officers and men were filled with awe at their commander’s bravery and loyalty. Then Zhou Yu placed himself at the head of some hundreds of horsemen and went out of the camp gates, where he saw that the enemy had fully arrayed.

Seeing his opponents Cao Ren, standing beneath the standard, flourished his whip and began to hurl abuse at them: “That rogue Zhou Yu must have met his fate! He never dares to face my men.”

Before he had completed these insults Zhou Yu suddenly rode out to the front and cried, “Here I am, you rascal! Look at me!”

The enemy were taken aback. But Cao Ren turned to his men and said, “Let’s all revile him.” And the whole army yelled insults at Zhou Yu.

Zhou Yu grew furious and sent Pan Zhang out to fight. But before he had delivered his first blow Zhou Yu suddenly uttered a loud cry, and he fell to the ground with blood gushing from his mouth.

At this, Cao Ren’s army rushed forth to give battle and the men of Wu pressed forward to resist them. A confused struggle followed, but eventually Zhou Yu was borne off safely and taken to his tent.

“Do you feel better?” asked Cheng Pu anxiously.

“It was a ruse of mine,” whispered Zhou Yu in reply.

“But what is it?”

“I’m not really very ill. I only did that to make our enemies think I’m dying so that they will be off their guard. Now send some of our trusted men to fake desertion and tell Cao Ren that I’m dead. That will bring them here tonight to raid our camps and we will have an ambush ready for them. We will trap Cao Ren easily.”

“What an excellent plan!” said Cheng Pu.

Soon from the tent there arose the sound of wailing. The soldiers, greatly alarmed, took up the cry and said to one another, “Our commander has died of his wound.” Each camp displayed many symbols of mourning.

Meanwhile, Cao Ren was in discussion with his officers. He said, “Zhou Yu lost his temper and that has caused his wound to reopen and brought on that flow of blood. You saw him fall to the ground—he will assuredly die soon.”

Just then, guards came in to report that about a dozen men from Zhou Yu’s army had come to surrender and two of them had been formerly their own men who had been captured by their enemy.

Cao Ren sent for the deserters at once and questioned them. They told him that Zhou Yu’s wound had reopened and he had died immediately after he was brought back to camp; that the officers were all in mourning; and that they had deserted because they had been put to shame by Cheng Pu, the second in command.

Pleased at this news, Cao Ren at once began to arrange a night raid on Zhou Yu’s camp, to snatch the body of the dead commander so as to send his head to the capital.

“Success depends on promptitude, so we must act without delay,” said Chen Jiao.

Niu Jin was then appointed the van leader and Cao Ren himself led the central force, while his two brothers brought up the rear. Chen Jiao was left to guard the city with a small force.

At the first watch they left the city and moved toward Zhou Yu’s camp. When they drew near they found no trace of any man around, only an empty display of flags and spears, evidently to keep up an appearance of occupation. Feeling at once that they had been tricked, they turned to retreat. But a bomb exploded to give the signal for an attack on all four sides. The result was a severe defeat for the raiders. Cao Ren’s forces were entirely broken and his men scattered about so that no one part of the beaten army could aid the other.